4 things we learned this year and 3 things we are looking forward to in 2021
And just like that 2020 has come to an end! What seemed the longest and most bizarre year is now over and we could not be happier! This year has been different for everyone, whether you are away from home, whether you lost someone dear, whether the lockdown caused your life to change, we’ve all been affected by the pandemic in one way or another and yet we have also learnt so much from a challenging 12 months.
While we certainly will not look back at 2020 with fondness, it did teach us so many lessons and also, left us with so many things to look forward to in 2021. Here are a few below:
Learnings from 2020
Be more patient
It is no longer rush, rush, rush, and full steam ahead. The pandemic and the different worldwide lockdowns have taught us that sometimes what we really need is to be patient, let go for a moment and have a “que sera, sera” approach. Let’s begin by being patient with ourselves and try and take it all a little easier - particularly when things are beyond our control!
Relish the little things
That long country walk with family, the hugs, the celebrations, the kisses and face to face conversations, the drink at the pub with friends, those are the little things that meant the world to many of us this year. After being apart from our loved ones, we shall never take those little moments for granted! We’re conditioned to always look for the next best thing, to think and live in the moment ahead; but this year, we learnt that living in the moment and enjoying the little pleasures of life is so much more satisfying!
Stay active
Whether it is a daily walk, morning cycle, evening yoga practice or anything else, staying active is key for our mental health and this year more than ever we have turned to exercise for a little peace of mind. Exercising can help boost your immune system, reduce stress, improve your mood, reduce the risk of major illnesses (which can also be a deciding factor for Covid-19) and improve sleep quality and energy. Let’s not leave it in 2020 and take it forward to the new year!
Reach out
Not being able to see people meant that we had to find more ways to connect with our family and friends. Everyone has experienced 2020 in a different way and many have felt isolated and cut away from their loved ones. We all need that human connection, and this year more than ever it has been super important to reach out and check on people - for both our mental health and theirs! Let’s keep this going in 2021, set up some reminders on your phone so that if you haven’t heard from someone in a while, you remember to drop them a text message or a call.
What we can’t wait to do in 2021:
Celebrate
Being able to live our lives hopefully a little bit more normally. We can’t wait to celebrate life at its fullest! All the birthdays, the weddings, the reunions, the love - we can’t wait to celebrate it all with our closest family, friends and loved ones. We’re hoping 2021 will be one great party once it is safe to celebrate like the good old days!
Get out of your comfort zone
No more second guessing and sitting in our comfort zone. This coming year, we’re pledging to take all the chances that come our way and get out of our comfort zone, challenge ourselves and think outside the box. Let’s live life a little more, and enjoy all the opportunities that come our way. Life is too short to not enjoy it at its fullest!
Travel consciously
We can’t wait to discover the world again! Be it to visit family or far away lands, there is so much this world has to offer! While the pandemic has definitely brought people closer together, it has also made us realise what luxury lifestyle we had before, being able to travel without limits. And while we can’t wait to travel and explore, we really want to do it in a more sustainable way too. Seeing nature come to life when human activity stops shows us how there needs to be a balance between the human and the natural worlds, so instead of travelling to far flung destinations first, why don’t we make the most of more environmentally friendly travel - such as trains and boats? There is always someplace new to discover and we cannot wait!
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